


Blind | Keith au [Undergoing Slight Editing]

by Omega030



Series: I Can't Live Without You [1]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Blind Keith (Voltron), Denial of Feelings, Dreams and Nightmares, Guilt, M/M, Space Mom Allura (Voltron)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-18
Updated: 2019-06-22
Packaged: 2019-09-22 05:26:47
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 3,870
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17054009
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Omega030/pseuds/Omega030
Summary: Au, where Lotor doesn't get there in time and Keith, crashes into the barrier. Keith survives, but loses his leg and his eyesight and has to deal with the struggles of feeling useless. (Might be ooc and might not be too realistic?? Idk you can be the judge of that.)(Underwent some editing, not too much. Just changed some words around and added paragraph breaks in some/most of the chapters, though it won't hopefully stay like that too much longer, due to that fact I'm editing it more.)[Is also published on my Wattpad account: ZeroRoses02]





	1. Chapter 1-Darkness

All he saw was darkness and felt sharp pain run through his body. He felt empty and cold like he was currently inside of an empty void of nothing. Even as he opened his eyes.

 

His hands slid around the soft material. He was on a bed, but whose a bed?

 

His head shot up at the sound of the door opening, his eyes widening and he became alarmed.

 

"Who's there?" He asked.

 

"It's me, Keith," A voice said. Keith recognized the voice as Shiro and he relaxed a little.

 

"Shiro? Why can't I see anything?" He asked, his face mixing into one of fear. Keith heard Shiro sigh.

  
"The explosion caused you to lose both your eyesight and your leg" Shiro explained. His voice seemed almost strained like he was trying to keep it calm, but Keith could tell he was on the verge of tears. Shiro blamed himself.

 

"Shiro," Keith said gaining the black paladin's attention.

 

"It wasn't your fault, I choose to do it," Keith said. His voice was soft and quiet, he couldn't speak much. Did he hurt his vocal cords also? He heard Shiro sigh and walk over. Keith felt the bed dip in and knew Shiro had sat beside him on the bed.

 

"Allura says that you can be out of bed soon...she also says that your vocal cords are a little damaged, but should heal in a few more days and that the blade of Momara isn't taking you back" Shiro explained.

 

"What?!?!" Keith exclaimed. Why?

 

"She said that they said that you weren't going to be any use of them anymore since you can't see" Shiro went on.

 

"Just rest up okay? You need it."

  
Keith felt the weight lift and a hand on his shoulder. Lips pressed against his forehead and kissed it before retreating.

 

"Goodnight Keith" Shiro said, Keith, hearing his footsteps turning and leaving.

 

"Night," Keith responded back as he heard the door swing open then close. Keith waited for the sound of feet to disappear before he let the tears flow down his face.

 

How was he supposed to fight? How was he going to find his mom? Keith brought up his legs to his body and hugged them closer. The metal of his right leg pressed against his hand and he cried even more. How was he supposed to fight when he couldn't see?

 


	2. Chapter 2-Guilt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance visits Keith, and a guilty Allura visits.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the shitty (and short) chapter.

 

 

_**Before** _

  
Lance sighed as he stood in front of the door of where Keith was resting up. He had been the one to find him. He still remembered the blood and how the red lion had pulled him to Keith. Keith could've died.

 

Lance glared. Damn Lotor and those blasted Galra. Lance eyes widened. No, he couldn't be this way. Keith was still alive. Keith choose to crash into that barrier. He choose to do this.

 

Lance sighed and entered, the door sliding open. As he walked in he spotted Keith asleep, his lips were parted and his eyes were closed. His metal leg was out and Lance almost chuckled. He didn't know Keith was a bed hog. Lance looked towards the leg. So much blood.

  
Lance shook his head. He had seen blood, this wasn't anything new...so why was he bothered by it?

 

Lance approached the bed and looked down at his face. Lance's hand reached out and he grabbed Keith's hand, finding it fit perfectly in his hand. Too bad Keith would never return his feelings.

 

Lance squeezed his hand and sat down on the chair and waited. Lance would wait for him to wake up.

 

* * *

 

Lance didn't even realize he had fallen asleep as he jolted at the sound of the door opening. He turned his head to see Allura standing at the door.

 

Her face was mixed of one of pity and sadness and a question came into his head. Did Allura blame herself for this? Allura looked at him and approached him.

 

"Go and get something to eat, I'll sit here and watch him" Allura said.

 

Allura had bags under her eyes and Lance nodded, relasing Keith's hand.

 

Allura wasn't the type of person to display sadness to other people easily and for her to get like this was..well sad.

 

Lance stood up and walked to the door, the door sliding open. Lance stopped in the doorway and turned his head.

 

Allura sat on the chair now, her hand hesitantly reaching towards Keith's. He could see the tears brinking at the corners of her eyes and Lance walked out, giving her some privacy.


	3. Chapter 3-Comfort

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance comforts Hunk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this is a short chapter. ;-;

Lance walked into the kitchen, his eyes immediately landing on Hunk. Hunk was cooking and Lance knew that meant he was trying to take his mind off the former red paladin.

 

"Whatcha cooking Hunk?" He asked, causing Hunk to look up at him.

 

Hunk, like the princess wasn't too, well, in fact none of them weren't doing too well. Keith had been like family to them, even if he had left them for a while, he still felt like family.

 

Hunk's sigh brought him out of his thoughts, and he knew that was probably best, he didn't want to think about their time together as paladins.

 

"Do you think Keith will be fine?" Hunk asked, worry creasing his brow.

 

Lance frowned and sighed after a few seconds.

 

"Keith's strong, man, he'll get through this and soon enough, just watch, he'll be sulking in the corner and training his butt off"

 

Hunk softly smiled.

 

"You're right, Lance" Hunk said, seemly grateful to being reassured.

 

* * *

 

And oh boy how Lance wished he had been right.


	4. Chapter 4-Awake

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith wakes up.

**Current**

 

Lance squeezed himself into the room Keith was currently residing in, finding the room barren and silent. After so long the healing pod couldn't help anymore and so they took him out of it, placing him in this room.

 

Lance's blue eyes went over to Keith, who was now looking up, well up as in raising his head, but not actually being able to see him or able to know that he was looking at the walls beside Lance and not actually at him.

 

He had puffy red eyes, which showed Lance he had been crying, and that hurt him emotionally quite a bit.

 

Lance made his way over and sat down, Keith following his motions the best he could.

 

"Shiro?" He asked, hesitant on asking.

 

"Not Shiro" Lance answered.

 

"Lance?" He asked as he recognized his voice. He hesitantly reached towards him and Lance surprised didn't move for a few seconds.

 

Lance hesitated in taking his hand, quite surprised Keith would want him to touch him or quick, even want him here.

 

Lance ran a thumb over his hand, smiling a bit, unknowingly to the black haired boy.

 

"How are you holding up, buddy?" He asked, his smile disappearing as worry took over his face.

 

"Lance," Keith said. "Does it look like I'm fine?"

 

Lance huffed and frowned.

 

"Well, at least you're not dead.." Lance mumbled.

 

Keith's eyes narrowed, at him presumably, but he wasn't looking at Lance directly.

 

"It would be better if I was" Keith growled under his breath.

 

"Keith!" Lance exclaimed, letting go of his hand, angry now.

 

"I'm useless, Lance! How am I supposed to fight! How am I supposed to do anything!?!" Keith exclaimed, his voice rising in volume.

 

Lance glared at him.

 

"Keith, you're not useless!" He exclaimed.

 

"Yes, I am Lance!" Keith responded, bitterness in his voice.

 

Lance stood up and sighed.

 

"I came here to cheer you up, but I guess I just made it worse huh...?" Lance asked, his eyebrows furrowing in guilt.

 

Keith's eyes widened.

 

"No you didn't...I'm sorry" Keith said, sighing sadly, guilt also appearing onto his face.

 

Lance sighed and he placed a hand on Keith's cheek.

 

"No, it's pretty understandable you feel pretty useless right now, but knowing you, Keith, you're stubborn and headstrong" Lance said. "I have no doubts you'll overcome this"

 

"Thanks" Keith mumbled, a slight blush dusting his cheeks.

 

"No problem" Lance mumbled back, bringing Keith to his chest and placing his chin on his head. "Now get some rest"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (I was going to continue, but every thing I wrote down wasn't good enough so here, sorry. I also wanted Klance angst, but eh that will be later on, I guess, I just couldn't help making it fluffy at the end instead. Idk why. Also writers block sucks!!)


	5. Chapter 5-Nightmare

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance has nightmares.

Lance had started having nightmares, different nightmares each time, but nonetheless with one common thing.

 

He knew that the nightmares started that day when Lance had seen Keith like that, close to dying, almost lifeless in his arms and bleeding out. It still haunted him to this day even. And he dreamed about Keith dying. Each and every time in the nightmares, Keith would die and Lance was forced to watch as he was. Like this one.

 

Lance's teeth were grinding together as a galran solider held his hair in their fists. His bruised wrists were tied, blood running down his skin from his mouth. Keith was in the same position as him, but instead of a guard there stood the familiar, but yet foreign Shiro. A cruel grin spread amongst his lips and eyes glowing brightly yellow.

 

It wasn't Shiro, he told himself, but he looked and sounded like Shiro, and it was hard to deny that it was Shiro. The same Shiro who was his hero, the man he had, and still, looked up to for so long.

 

In his grasp, was the boy he had grown to love and like. The boy whose now pale blue eyes held fear, which were the same eyes he grown to love and stare out for hours on end. He hated seeing him like that even in his nightmares, terrified and hurt, desperate for help.

 

Lance gritted his teeth harder, he knew in his mind he was dreaming, but everything felt so surreal. The pain, the fear, the hands on his head, everything. Everything felt so real it hurt him, emotionally, physically, and even mentally. And Lance wanted to scream, to rip Shiro's hands off of Keith, to hold Keith and comfort him, to just  **wake up!**

 

However, his vocal cords never let him, his hands never moved, and he never woke up before the most dreaded part of his nightmares. And he felt with each nightmare, that felt they had actually happen in real life, Lance felt like he was going **crazy.**

 

Lance stared in horror as Shiro sent him that cruel, dark grin of his before turning and looking down at Keith. Shiro's metal arm glowed purple, and Lance feared the worst and Keith didn't even know what about to happen. But he knew what was about to happen, and he was still terrified.

 

Lance felt tears roll down his cheeks and felt as they fell down onto the cold, steel floor. There was blood, blood on the floors, Shiro's arm, Keith's body, **everywhere.** And as the dream turned dark, Lance was sent chills down his back as the face of Shiro returned to his familiar self.

 

* * *

 

Lance bolted up from his bed, a broken cry escaping his lips. Lance's body was on fire, he was hot and sweaty, his face was tear-stained, and he was panting and his body was shaking.

 

Lance removed the blanket off of him and stood up, feeling the drastic difference in temperature of the floor and him.

 

Lance slipped on his blue lion slippers and headed off towards the room Keith resided in. He knew it was a nightmare, but his mind kept telling him to check on him, and to get some peace, Lance did exactly that.

 

Lance slipped into the room and Keith looked up at the sound of the doors sliding open. Lance rushed over to Keith and engulfed him into a hug.

 

"Lance?" Keith's breathy voice asked and Lance felt the urge to kiss him.

 

Lance ignored it though and hugged him tighter. Out of all of them, this one was the worst, he concluded. And he knew it was because of Shiro being the one to kill Keith when usually it was a galran solider or the force of crashing into that barrier.

 

Lance let out a sob and Keith confused but worried about him, rubbed circles in his back.

 

Keith wasn't the best at comforting other people with words, but Keith was definitely a good hugger and listener.

 

"What happened Lance?" Keith asked after Lance had calmed down some, worried for the taller male.

 

"Nightmares...I keep dreaming of you dying, Keith....but this time I dreamed of Shiro killing you...and it felt so real, a-and I j-just needed to check on y-you" Lance chocked out.

 

Keith's black eyebrows furrowed and he rested his head in the crook of Lance's neck.

 

"It's alright, I'm here, Lance, I'm here" Keith comforted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I got inspired all of the sudden and this was the result of it. At the moment, I feel really proud of it, but I might go back and edit and revise some things. Also, I know it seems kind of....silly? Fast? Of me to input Klance at the beginning, but you have to remember this is like season 6, and also they aren't officially dating, and Keith is still being stubborn about his feelings at this point. So yeah. I also feel like I'm not representing blindness well enough in this story so if anyone has any suggestions or anything please let me know. I would appreciate it. And sorry for the short chapter, I wanted to expand, but I felt the need to publish this as soon as possible because I feel like you guys would want more chapters or something. Idk.  
> This is more of a rant at this point. Lol


	6. Chapter 5-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [I feel like there's questions about why the Bom didn't accept Keith back, but unlike someone who was born blind, Keith doesn't know how to walk around and do stuff yet and the BOM is like "Well we can't afford to train you to deal with your blindness, so bye." I personally feel like the BOM would do that, but that's just my opinion. But also! Another angsty fanfic, related to this story, about how if Keith had died instead, and the effects and stuff..yeah. Anyways, just wanted to announce that and I'm sorry I haven't been posting much. ;-;]

Keith was frustrated. The other paladins told him it would be a while until he would get used to it, but Keith loathed being useless. (Which Lance had responded with "Keith you're not uselsss", but Keith knew he was.)

 

Keith couldn't fight, he had been so used to seeing, but now that he couldn't...well it was frustrating.

 

Keith wasn't totally bad at fighting, but he wasn't as good as he used to be. Usually red or even black would've been his eyes, but well Keith didn't fly either now and Keith couldn't use them to see when fighting.

 

Well he could, but it was awkward to say the least and saddening as he remembered he couldn't see outside of the lions.

 

Keith sighed, and wiped the back of his hand against his forehead, feeling his sweat.

 

Keith pulled back, a little bit of disgust in his expression and walked off, heading towards the showers. If Keith had remembered, the doors leading to the hallway was this way.

 

Keith groaned as he hit the wall. Keith felt around, and he frowned a bit hearing the door open. Turning his head towards the door, he made his way over the door.

 

"Keith? Do you need help?" The voice of Lance asked and Keith groaned. Of course it was Lance. Lance had been doting over him. Hell, all of them had been doting after him.

 

"I don't want your pity, Lance" Keith growled. Keith heard Lance sigh and a hand was placed on his shoulder. Keith tried to shrug it off, but the hand Lance had placed was still there.

 

"I'm not pitying you, Keith, I just want to help you" Lance said.

 

"Like hell, Lance..." Keith growled out, finally removing his hand.

 

"Why do you have to be so...so! Frustrating!" Lance exclaimed, clearly annoyed.

 

"Because I'm useless and blind now Lance! And I'm probably never going to find my mom!" Keith exclaimed, feeling tears roll down his cheeks.

 

"Becuase the Blade of Momara doesn't want to deal with someone as useless as me..." Keith crossed his arms.

 

"I walked into a wall Lance!" Lance huffed softly at that, but placed a hand on his cheek.

 

"We'll find your mom, I promise, but I don't think she would want you to beat yourself up like this..."

 

Keith sighed softly and closed his eyes, leaning into the touch.

 

"You're right, Lance, but I just feel so..so..useless.." Keith mumbled.

 

"You'll get there Keith, trust me" Lance said, bringing Keith closer to him. "Now, let's get you into a shower, you're sweaty"

 

Keith huffed, a smirk coming onto his lips. "You're the one touching and holding me"

 

Lance chuckled, sighing happily. "True, but that's because I love you, mullet"

  
"..I, I...love you too..." Keith stuttered out, burying his face into Lance.

 

Lance smiled softly, resting his chin on his head.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh shit wassup Klance!! XD  
> (Sorry this isn't my best chapter. I wrote this during a writer's block, but now I'm hoping to get some actual plot in. XD)


	7. Chapter 7-Lotor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith stumbles upon a wild Lotor. 0w0

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hate looking at other fanfics and going "wow my fanfics suck in comparison" TwT  but has a person who has never written blind characters before and not being blind myself [which is probably obvious] I write something then go "shit! Keith can't see! That can't work!" And idk, I just like writing about him but hate doing it at the same time, because it's different, not bad different, but definitely different for me.

Keith had heard them talking to Lotor, the half altean-galran exiled prince of the galran empire.

 

He just never approached him or even bothered to talk to him, until Lotor himself prompted it.

 

Keith was walking around, he was getting better at navigating and he didn't need any help.

 

Yeah, he bumped into walls at times, but it was like a couple of times.

 

Keith was walking past when Lotor had spoken. Lotor's voice was...smooth? Honestly Keith didn't know how to describe it, but he did know it sent chills up his spine.

 

Keith had stopped at that, because how did he know his name? Did they mention him? Had he gotten info about him from somewhere?

 

Keith frowned at that.

 

"What?" Keith asked, a little bitterly.

 

"You're Keith, former red and black paladin" Lotor stated again.

 

"Or am I wrong?" Keith flinched at that.

 

"Yes I am, now goodbye" Keith growled out, moving to leave.

 

"Wait, just hear me out" Lotor called out, causing Keith to stop in his tracks.

 

"What for? To get information from me? To kick me down because of my lost eyesight?" He asked, bitterlh.

 

"To give you an apology" Lotor explained.

 

"If I had reached there sooner you wouldn't of had to sacrifice your sight...nor your leg.."

  
Keith eyes widened and he bit his lips in thought.

 

"Uh, well thanks?"

  
Lotor snorted at that and Keith sighed.

 

 "Don't expect me to release you from there, because you said that" Keith said.

 

Lotor chuckled.

 

"I don't expect you to" Lotor explained. "But, I don't think you even know how to"

  
Keith pouted at that.

 

"Yeah, but I can still kick your ass if it came to it"

 

Lotor chuckled again.

 

"Sure you would"

 

Keith smirked at that.

 

His smirk, however, quickly turned into a frown as he heard the annoyed (and jealous) voice of Lance.

 

"Keith! What are you doing?!" Lance asked, grabbing him the arm. Keith furrowed his brows.

 

"Leaving" Keith said, coldly, walking out of the room leaving Lotor and Lance in the room alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this so short! I have testing going on at the moment and I'm just generally being my anxious [anixous? I Can't spell for shit, y'all!] self so I apologize for not updating! ;w; This was supposed to be longer, but once I saw how long I updated this story I knew I had to post it. The rest of this chapter will be in the next chapter. So yeah...


	8. Chapter 8- I would agree but...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Feelings of hurt, anger, and guilt rise up within a certain boy. Causing him to retreat within his room.

Keith sat on his bed, his metal leg dangling over the floor and his non-metal one resting underneath.

 

Keith never liked to mention his leg, maybe because it was a rough time, he had stumbled around, fallen, cried even, and failed at walking many times.

 

Unsurprisingly, Shiro had been the one to help him through it , encouraging him along the way and such.

 

Lance, and the others had been there too, but unlike Shiro they didn't know the struggles of losing a body part, but Keith had appreciated them trying to cheer him up.

 

Keith was able to walk now, he was glad, though not having his vision was taking him longer to get used to.

 

Keith sighed.

 

He was also getting used to Lance being around more.

 

It wasn't like Lance wasn't around before, but now that Lance had promised to help him through this, it seemed like Lance was hanging around him more.

 

Though, at times to Keith, Lance could be...overbearing, and quite annoying.

 

Which was why Keith had snapped at him. Naturally, Keith felt some guilt now.

 

Lance was helping Keith train, when Lance had brought up the subject of Lotor again. Lance had told him simply to "stay away from him."

 

Which Keith would agree with him any other time, but Keith felt annoyed at that instead and had snapped at him...saying how he was treating him like a fragile thing waiting to break and how he could take care of himself.

 

That's when he had stormed off.

 

He knew Lance was right.

 

Lotor had been in the past a enemy, but Keith knew it was also something personal to Lance, and he couldn't help but get jealous at it.

 

He knew it was because he saw Keith with Lotor that one time, but he also knew it was because Lotor was hanging out with Allura. Which he knew spiked some jealously within Lance.

 

Lance still held some love for Allura, despite Lance saying how he was getting over her slowly. He knew he shouldn't be angry at Lance, he was trying, and he was definitely more in love with Keith than her, but he still felt jealous.

 

Allura had been the first one he had fallen in love with, and she was beautiful, caring, and brave.

 

Keith meanwhile was stubborn, sarcastic, and he tended to get emotional, and angry faster about things.

 

Keith sighed and stood up, walking out the room.

 

Maybe he should talk to someone.

 

* * *

 

Keith had aimed to find Shiro, but with no avail Keith slumped against the wall, sighing.

 

No one was around, and no one had told him why either. Were they doing something related to voltron and the missions?

 

Just then, Keith heard a voice call out his name and he jumped a little becuase he knew that voice.

 

It was Lotor.

 

He turned his head towards his voice, hearing his footsteps approach him.

 

A hand touched his shoulder and he froze.

 

"Are you looking for someone?" Lotor asked.

 

Keith gulped, his hands fiddling.

 

"Uh yeah actually...I was looking for Shiro" Keith answered.

 

* * *

  
(Switch to Lotor's pov)

 

Lotor looked down at the smaller boy, who looked nervous.

 

His pale, unfocused blue eyes were staring at a wall behind him, trying his best to look at him he supposed.

 

His body was leaning against the wall and his black hair was pulled into a small ponytail.

 

Lotor had to admit the boy was quite cute, even with multiple scars across his face and body.

 

"I'm sorry, I don't know where he is...though I suppose your looking for some advice from your leader?" Lotor hummed.

 

"Why would I tell you?" Keith asked.

 

"Well, we are on the same side now" Lotor answered, smirking a bit.

 

Keith's eyes widened, and Lotor's smirk grew. They hadn't told him.

 

"W-what do you mean?" He questioned, both curious and confused.

 

"Me and your fellow paladins have come together to get rid of my father, Zarkon" Lotor responded. "...did they not tell you?"

 

Keith's mouth went slightly agape and he saw Keith pondering. He could see the gears running in his head.

 

"...no" Keith simply muttered, weakily.

 

Lotor could see the hurt as he said that and Lotor knew he had striked something within him. Perhaps, some feelings of worthlessness within him.

 

"Well, I won't pry or bother you anymore, so, I'll see you later, Keith" Lotor responded, squeezing his shoulder once more, before taking his hand off and walking off down the hallway.

 

* * *

  
(Back to Keith's pov)

 

Keith felt hurt, betrayed, and confused.

 

He wanted to be angry at Lance and the others, but he wanted to simply believe they would've told him later or that Lotor was simply slowly turning him against the others.

 

He didn't know and with his feelings of betrayal and anger, he simply shut himself inside his room for a little while.

 

His hurt and guilt increased when he heard Lance knock on the door, his voice filled with worry and guilt.

 

However, in the back of his mind, his anger also increased. He felt angry. Like he wasn't apart of them anymore.

 

Was he worthless to them now? Did they think of him as liability?

 

Tears rolled down his cheeks and he chose not to answer Lance, quietly sobbing into his hands.

 

He slid down against the door, and onto the floor.

 

He heard Lance's worried voice again, but he didn't answer. Couldn't. Not like this, not in this state.

 

After a while, however, Lance sighed and gave up, walking away and that's when Keith removed his hand and leaned his head back.

 

He didn't know who to believe anymore.

 

Who could he believe? The others, himself, Lotor?


End file.
